Mayo councillor warns that 'professional beggars' will take over Westport

WESTPORT and other towns in Mayo will be taken over by 'professional beggars' this summer unless the situation is not ‘nipped in the bud’ according to a local councillor.

The problem of begging on the streets of Westport was raised at the monthly meeting of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District where calls were made for by-laws to be introduced to impose fines on people begging.

Independent councillor Christy Hyland told the meeting that people leaving Mass on St Patrick's Day in Westport were greeted by a beggar on the footpath with a sign saying 'homeless please help’.

The Westport-based councillor said that he has learned that people who are regularly begging in Westport live in a house in Castlebar and are supported by the State and take in over €3,000 in payments each month.

“I have investigated this and these people are being supported by the Department of Social Welfare and they are on housing assistance. It is happening extensively and is organised. People are dropped off early in the morning and they target a town for a number of hours every day. I have done the research...they went into a business recently in Westport where they cashed in the coins that they gathered during the day. They got €180 back in notes.

“I want us to work together and see what we can do so that people are not annoyed or obstructed in Westport or other towns by these people begging. There is no need for them to be begging. We have one of the best social welfare systems in Europe.

“This is going to take off big time in Westport. There are two or three there at the moment and if we don't deal with it and nip it in the bud there will be ten of them on the streets in July and August. That is what happened in Galway and the big towns and we have to take them on,” he said.

He was supported by his fellow Westport-based colleague Peter Flynn who said it is remarkable that during the winter they were not to be seen but when the evenings get longer, 'they reappear miraculously on the street'.

Criminal behaviour

Cllr Flynn described what was happening as 'criminal' and 'obscene' and called on the council to introduce by-laws to discourage the practice like they have done in other towns.

“I have no difficulty with people in genuine need who are down on their luck and end up on the street but these are professional robbers. It is wrong to prey on people's generosity and good nature where people in difficulty are not getting the same support. These people are defrauding both the state and local people.”

Cllr John O'Malley added that the beggars are a nuisance but are also clever and block the footpaths ‘like a turkey over a clutch of eggs'.

Zero powers

Director of Services, Catherine McConnell said that the Council do not have the authority to move people on if they are begging and that is the job of the local gardaí.

“We have zero powers and cannot tell them to desist from begging. The Gardaí do and the Gardaí should if they are causing a nuisance or frightening people. We need to be clear that we are not reluctant to do something but we have no power and bylaws will not confer us with that power,” she said.

The meeting heard that other local authorities had introduced by-laws against begging but Ms McConnell this will only result in a fine and she did not think they would have much impact.

“Our [traffic] wardens are busy enough and there is no way we are bringing in bylaws to double up garda powers,” she said.

Cllr Hyland said that the local authority has to do something as it cannot become acceptable for begging to become a norm in Westport or any other town in Mayo.

Ms McConnell accepted this but added that even if by-laws are introduced it will take a year before they go through.

“If you want something done this summer the gardaí are the best line of defence,” she added.

The municipal district agreed to ask senior gardaí in Westport to attend their next meeting to discuss how they can tackle the issue of begging in the town.